Traffic directing flashlight



Dec. 10, 1963 TRAFFic DIRECTING FLASHLIGHT Filed Feb. 21, 1962 Harry. A.Robinson' 4 INVENTOR.

H. A. RoBlNsoN 3,114,143

United States Patent 3,114,143 TRAFFIC DHREC'HNG FLASHLIGHT Harry A.Robinson, Elkhart, Ind., assigner to Robbie, Inc., Elkhart, Ind., acorporation of Indiana Filed Feb. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 174,826 2 Claims.(Ci. 340-321) This invention relates to a signalling-type flashlightwhich is expressly constructed and suitably adapted for -use by apoliceman when directing vehicular and pedestrian trallic atintersections or wherever else it may be needed.

It is customary practice, speaking generally, to employ a flashlight asan aid in directing and controlling afterdark rush hour traffic.Ordinarily, an elongate transparent red-capor similar tip is attached tothe illuminable end of the ilashlight barrel or handle. Now, whiledrivers at close range are usually able to clearly observe and interpretthe given signal, drivers at a distance or the oncoming driver can beand usually is confused, rather than aided, by the uncertain arm-Wavingpractices of a policeman when he is standing or facing in the wrongdirection. Then, too, a single red signal is hardly a solution to theoverall problem. Accordingly, it is an object in the instant matter toprovide and offer for use a more reliable and easy-to-use ilashlight andnovel signalling means combined therewith.

One feature of the instant presentation involves the use of means havingpaired diametrically opposite red and green or stop and go illu-minablewindows which may be reliably handled and positioned in such a mannerthat the traic director has at his disposal positive ways and means ofgiving intended signals with the result that drivers and pedestriansalike are then able to see and read the signals which are being flashedto and fr0 as is customarily the case.

Further, the invention is unique in that two reflectors, one at each endof the attached housing, are cooperatively employed for better focusingof light rays on or against the four properly paired stop-go windows.And, despite these interdependent features the signalling attachment issimple, practical, feasible and economical and may be effectivelyhandled.

Then, too, the handling portion of the flashlight barrel is providedwith a feeler rib or equivalent means which can be relied upon to orientthe distinguishable stop-go facilities, whereby to enable the user tohandle the device with precision and certainty.

FIGURE 1 is a View in side elevation of the trailic directing flashlightconstructed in accordance with the present invention and showing how itis positioned to show the green go signal;

FIGURE 2 is a view at right angles also in side elevation `and whichshows the stop signal in use;

FIGURE 3 is a view on a larger scale and fragmentarily shown with partsin section and elevation and which illustrate the details ofconstruction with particularity; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section on the section line 44 of FIGURE 3, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

The flashlight is denoted as a unit by the numeral 6 and the signallinghead or attachment is denoted as an entity by the numeral 8. Theashlight 6 is of a conventional type and comprises an elongatedcylindrical barrel or casing 10 providing a handle. A suitably mountedand operating switch is designated at 12 and diametrically opposite theswitch the aforementioned feeler means for orienting purposes is denotedat 14. While this means Imay be of some construction other than thatshown it has been found that a lengthwise outstanding rib formedintegrally with the barrel will sullice for the purposes needed. Thebell-mouth end of the llashlight casing or barrel is denoted at 16 andit termi- 3,114,143 Patented Dec. 10, 1963 nates in the usual externallyscrew-threaded neck 18. One of the dry cell batteries is shown at 20;the bulb at 22 and the customary flanged conical reector is denoted at24.

The signaling head or attachment 8y is characterized by an elongatedrectangular box-like structure which embodies an elongate openwork framewhich is constructed lto provide the paired illuminab-le panels orwindows.

The attaching means at the rearward or inner end comprises an internallyscrew-threaded collar 26 which is screwed on the neck 18 as illustratedin FIG. 3. A suitably mounted clear glass lens 28 is provided at thisend and covers the reflector 24. This lens may be held in place in anysuitable manner and may, if desired, con stitute a part of theattachment S. The outer or forward end is dat as at 30 and is providedwith an axial hole or opening 32 which in practice emits a beam orlight. Fitted into this end portion of the frame is a truncated conicalrearwardly facing rellector 34 which may be referred to as an auxiliaryreflector,v the same being in line with the main rellector 214. Thetruncated end 36 is in line with the opening 32. This reflector iscarried by an encompassing rectangular insert 38 which is frictionallyor otherwise held in the confined position illustrated. There are fourrectangular transparent glass or equivalent panels, two of which arecolored red and two colored green. These panels are arranged within theconfines of the framework and the opposed parallel green panels aredenoted at 4d and obviously serve to provide the illuminable go signal.It should be noted that the inner marginal edge portions 42 (see FIG. l)of the rim or frame which borders the green panel in each instance hasits end portions (forward and rearward) provided with cooperatingV-shaped components 44 and 46 which are aligned and together define anindicating arrow. The framed side having the green panels therein arereferred to as windows. Likewise the alternatively usable side havingthe red panels therein are refererd to as windows. Each red panel isdenoted by the numeral 48` and it will be noted that the marginal framebordering the same as at Sli is rectangular. Therefore in side elevationthe delineations of the green windows and red windows is differentiatedto assist in readily distinguishing one from the other. Then, too, andthis is important, it will be noted that outstanding spaced parallellongitudinally extending flanges 52 are provided Ifor coaction with andoverhang the red windows these flanges constituting shields andisolating the green from the red or vice versa. The attachment 8 isreferred to not only as an elongated signaling head with selectivelyusable red and green windows but is also aptly described as a housing.

It will be evident that the added or auxiliary rellector 34 in line withthe main rellector 24 provides an elfective concentration of lightwithin the contines of the housing with the result that the four windowsare simultaneously and effectively tlooded with light rays.

Inasmuch as these co-called traic directing batons are well known and inextensive use the manner in which the present invention is employed isthought to be selfevident. However and by using the feeler rib 14 as aguide and coordinating its function with the selectively usable stop-gowindows it will be evident that while the mode of use of the inventionis evident, the improved attainable results will not be fullyappreciated until the device is actually being used by a trafficdirector.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a flashlight embodying a hollow barrel constituting ahandle adapted to contain batteries Y ward end `thereof separablyconnected to said neck and comprising: an elongated illuminable hollowhousing which when in use is adapted to be axially 'aligned with saidforward end and handle, said housing having red and -green stop and golight-emitting signaling Windows paired in opposed parallelrelationship, each window embodying a marginally framed transparentpanel, the orward end of said housing being provided with an axiallightdirecting opening, a rearwardly focused truncated conical reflectorfacing the first-named reilector and aligned therewith in a manner touniformly and eiectively distribute the reflected light rays within thecontines of said housing, the truncated end of said truncated reflectorbeing proximal to and registering with said axial light directingopening, a manually operable off and on switch mounted for operation onan exterior of one side of said barrel, lfeeler means iXed on theexterior of the other side of said barrel, said feeler means comprisinga lengthwise finger contacting rib and said switch and riby beingdiametrically opposite each other and conjointly functioning to enablethe user to constantly hold the handling 1,634,014 Brafman June 28, 19272,070,472 Criswell Feb. 9, 1937 Y 2,119,486 Muldoon May 31, 19382,420,307 Fristoe May 13, 1947 2,434,741 Hefner et al J an. 20, 1948 202,514,432

portion of the barrel in an intended signalling position and tofacilitate the step of bodily rotating the barrel.

2. 'Ihe structure according to claim 1 and wherein the two frames whichmarginally border said red windows are each provided with a pair ofoutwardly projecting ilanges, said paired ilanges being disposed inspaced-apart parallelism and serving as stoplight isolating shields andfunctioning to clearly `and signiicantly diierentiate the red windowsfrom the green Windows thereby facilitating the step of spotting andunquestionably reading the stop-go intentions of the trailc directorhandling the ashlight.

References Cited in the ileA of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSWhifford July 11, i950

1. IN COMBINATION, A FLASHLIGHT EMBODYING A HOLLOW BARREL CONSTITUTING AHANDLE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN BATTERIES AND HAVING A FORWARDLY FACINGREFLECTOR AND COOPERABLE LIGHT BULB AT ITS FORWARD END, SAID FORWARD ENDTERMINATING IN A NECK, AND A SIGNALLING ATTACHMENT FOR SAID FORWARD END,SAID ATTACHMENT HAVING MEANS AT THE REARWARD END THEREOF SEPARABLYCONNECTED TO SAID NECK AND COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED ILLUMINABLE HOLLOWHOUSING WHICH WHEN IN USE IS ADAPTED TO BE AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAIDFORWARD END AND HANDLE, SAID HOUSING HAVING RED AND GREEN STOP AND GOLIGHT-EMITTING SIGNALING WINDOWS PAIRED IN OPPOSED PARALLELRELATIONSHIP, EACH WINDOW EMBODYING A MARGINALLY FRAMED TRANSPARENTPANEL, THE FORWARD END OF SAID HOUSING BEING PROVIDED WITH AN AXIALLIGHT DIRECTING OPENING, A REARWARDLY FOCUSED TRUNCATED CONICALREFLECTOR FACING THE FIRST-NAMED REFLECTOR AND ALIGNED THEREWITH IN AMANNER TO UNIFORMLY AND EFFECTIVELY DISTRIBUTE THE REFLECTED LIGHT RAYSWITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID HOUSING, THE TRUNCATED END OF SAID TRUNCATEDREFLECTOR BEING PROXIMAL TO AND REGISTERING WITH SAID AXIAL LIGHTDIRECTING OPENING, A MANUALLY OPERABLE OFF AND ON SWITCH MOUNTED FOROPERATION ON AN EXTERIOR OF ONE SIDE OF SAID BARREL, FEELER MEANS FIXEDON THE EXTERIOR OF THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID BARREL, SAID FEELER MEANSCOMPRISING A LENGTHWISE FINGER CONTACTING RIB AND SAID SWITCH AND RIBBEING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE EACH OTHER AND CONJOINTLY FUNCTIONING TOENABLE THE USER TO CONSTANTLY HOLD THE HANDLING PORTION OF THE BARREL INAN INTENDED SIGNALLING POSITION AND TO FACILITATE THE STEP OF BODILYROTATING THE BARREL.